Cigarette cut-off mechanism



June '28, 1955 P. SLYSH 2,711,764

CIGARETTE CUT-OFF MECHANISM Filed Sept. 24, 1951 e Sheefs-Sheet 1 1 FIG. 1 l 2 )2 60 2'4 2 INVENTOR PAUL SLYSH BY W6 ATTORNEY June 28, 1955 P. SLYSH 2,71i,764

CIGARETTE CUT-OFF MECHANISM Filed Sept. 24, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 5 PIC-3.5

26 1 i I g INVENTOR g/w kmlj l 1 PAUL SLYSH BY WJW ATTORNEY June 28, 1955 P. S LYSH CIGARETTE CUT-OFF MECHANISM INVENTOR PAU L SLYS H BY M W ATTORNEY June28, 1955 P. SLYSH 2,711,764

CIGARETTE CUT-OFF MECHANISM Filed Sept. 24, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.9 M

INVENTOR PAUL SLYSH ATTORNEY June 28, 1955 P. SLYSH 2,711,764

CIGARETTE CUT-OFF MECHANISM Filed Sept. 24, 1951 s Sheets-Shet e P an INVENTQR I PAUL SLYSH hdw ATTORNEY 2,711,754 Patented June 28, 1955 CIGARETTE CUT-OFF MECHANISM Paul Slysh, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Ma- ;hine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New ersey Application September 24, 1951, Serial No. 247,911

29 Claims. (Cl. 146-101) This invention relates to cigarette making machines of the continuous rod type and more particularly to mechanism for cutting off cigarette lengths from a continuously moving cigarette rod.

Cutolfs that have been designed for use with high speed cigarette machines have been of intricate design which have made them expensive to manufacture and maintain. If cutoifs of simpler design were used, it was found that the severed cigarettes were unsatisfactorily cut and did not have clean square cuts. Cutoffs of intricate design not only add to the over-all cost of a cigarette machine but are also objectionable in that they are more subject to breakdown and are expensive to repair.

It is an object of this invention to make a cigarette cutoff which will be of relatively simple design and thus of low cost construction and will yet be durable and reliable in operation and still produce a clean and square cut.

Another object of this invention is to provide for a knife feed mechanism for a cutoff which will enable the knife of the cutoff to be advanced or retarded While the cigarette machine continues in operation so as to compensate for wear on the knife blade due to cutting and sharpening the blade during the time the cigarette machine operates.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cutoif operated from crank type activators which serve to drive the cutting knife through the rod and at the same time move the knife with the moving rod and also to maintain the cutting knife in a plane which will be square with the end of the cigarette rod when it is passing through the cigarette rod.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cutoff which will have a revolving movement and will have simultaneously imparted thereto a reciprocatory movement While being maintained level to hold the knife blade in the same plane when passing through the cigarette rod.

Another object of this invention is to provide an outboard ledger that will not have any rotating joints or external guides and thereby provide a highly reliable and accurate ledger.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method for positively gripping the portion of a continuously moving rod While it is being severed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cutoff which is dynamically balanced.

Another object is to provide a spring support which will support and counterbalance a reciprocating ledger and cutoff.

Another object is to provide a spring arrangement which will produce straight line counterbalanced action.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear'as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a three crank cutoff.

Figure 2 is a plan view taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the cutofi.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same type of cutoff employing a modified form of ledger block.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the cutoff taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a spring guided single crank cutoff provided with a stationary ledger block.

Figure 8 is a front elevation of the cutoff taken on line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the same as seen from line 99 of Figure 7.

Figure 10 is an isometric schematic illustration showing how the knife feed is operated.

Figure 11 is a schematic side elevation illustrating a modified form of cutoff.

The cutoff apparatus I have shown in Figures 1 to 4 to illustrate the invention is driven from the main drive of the cigarette making machine by means of a shaft 20. This shaft 20, by means of a suitable coupling 22, drives a counterbalance crank arm 24 supported by a suitable bearing bracket 26 secured to a base 28. One end of crank arm 24 carries an eccentrically mounted shaft 30 while the other end of said shaft 30 is secured to a counterbalanced crank arm 32 supported in a suitable bearing bracket 34 also attached to base 28.

The center portion of shaft 30 carries a housing 36 freely mounted on said shaft 30 by suitable bearings 38. Also fixedly secured to shaft 30 is a hypoid gear 40 meshing with a hypoid gear 42 mounted on a shaft 44 supported transversely of shaft 30 in suitable bearings 46 of the front and rear wall or" housing 36.

To the rear portion of shaft 44' is keyed a tapered sleeve 48 which engages with the tapered portion 50 of an eccentric counterbalancing bearing 52 rotatably supported in a block 54. Eccentric bearing 52 which also supports the free end of shaft 44 is held in rigid relation to tapered sleeve 48 by means of a locknut 56. This tapered connection permits the shaft 44 to be readily adjusted so that it will be held in a plane parallel to the cigarette rod. Block 54 is slidably confined in a housing 58 secured to the base 28. To the free front end of shaft 44 is also keyed a conical sleeve or hub 60 (Fig. 3) to which, by means of a nut 62, is adjustably mounted a balanced knife supporting member 64 which carries an adjustably mounted knife holder 66 carrying a segment type of sickle knife 68.

There are three separate balancing actions required to put the entire mechanism in a perfect state of dynamic balance. The first of these balancing operations involves the dynamic balancing of the slider crank 52 about the knife spindle axis 44. This balances the knife support housing 64, knife 68, and rod about the knife spindle axis 44. The second balancing operation is intended to bring the center of gravity of all members that rotate relative to shaft 30 onto the center line of the shaft 30 and to eliminate any dynamic component transverse on the shaft 30. This is accomplished by a dynamic balancing operation in the process of which the housng 36; the knife housing 64, and the slider crank 52 are spun about the axis of shaft 30. Suitable weights are added to or subtracted as needed from different portions of the housing 36 to produce a dynamic balance for this component. The third dynamic balancing is accomplished by means of counterweights 24 and 32 which rotate about shaft 29 and counterbalance the entire mechanism, the weight of which acts at the center line of shaft 39.

To the upper portion of bearing bracket 26 is rigidly attached a spring supporting member 79 and to the upper portion of bearing bracket 34 is also secured a similar spring supporting member 72. To each of the members 70 and 72 is fastened the lower ends of a pair of spaced vertical leaf springs 74 and 76, respectively.

The free upper ends of spring 74 are connected to the free upper ends of spring 76 by means of a pair of horizontal bars 78. From the central portion of each bar 78 is suspended another leaf spring 80, the lower ends of both of which are attached to and support a ledger block 82. This suspended floating ledger block 82 which is always in parallel position with shaft 44 and is pivotally connected through a pair of parallel spaced links 84 to a suitable bracket 86 fastened to and projecting upward from the top surface of housing 36. This particular mounting of the ledger block 82 permits the latter to be guided lineally back and forth while being actuated through the links 84 and bracket 86 by the motion of housing 36. The cigarette rod R, of course, runs in the well-known fashion through the ledger block 82 and a cigarette C of predetermined length is cut off from said rod every time the knife blade 68 held by the rotating knife supporting member 64 passes through the slot 88 of back ledger block 82. In order to keep the eccentric bearing 54 free from dust and foreign matter and confine the lubricant to the moving parts, a bellows 9t) of suitable flexible material connects the moving housing 36 with the stationary housing 58.

In order to compensate for the wear and tear of the knife blade 68 and provide means for adjusting the same while the cutoff is in motion, the latter is equipped with a novel type of inching or knife feed mechanism. The latter consists of a threaded rod or spindle 3100 (Figs. 3 and 4). Each end is provided with a step 102 to which, by means of screws 194, is secured the knife holder frame 66 rigidly holding the knife blade 68 to the steps 102 of rod 100. The latter is slidably supported in suitable guide lugs or bearings 106 which are integral with the knife supporting member 64. The rod 160, and consequently the knife blade 68 and holder frame 66 are held in place by a threaded sleeve 108 on rod 1% and a compression spring 110 surrounding said rod and both confined in a suitable cut-out portion 112 of knife supporting member 64. The side edges of the knife blade 68 are also slidably confined in a suitable guide track 114 (Fig. 4) integral with the head surface of member 64. Therefore, by turning the threaded sleeve 108 clock or counterclockwise, the cutting edge of knife blade 68 may be moved outward or retracted as desired.

In order to make this inward or outward knife adjustment while the cutoff is in motion, a knob 116 mounted on one end of a short shaft 118 is provided. The latter is rotatably supported by a suitable bracket 120 secured to the base plate 28 of the cutoff. To the other end of shaft 118 is rigidly mounted a feed button 122 which is provided with a projection 124 arranged in such a manner that in one position it will be opposite one end of the sleeve 10S and when turned 180 degrees it will be opposite the other end of said sleeve. A helical compression spring 126 surrounding shaft 113 and confined between knob 116 and the outer surface of bracket 120 is employed for the purpose of retracting said knob when released by the operator. Knob 116 is also provided with a pair of indicator arrows (Fig. 10) set 180 degrees apart and marked In and Out, and Whatever arrow lines up with the arrow S on the stationary bracket 120 will indicate to the operator in what position the projection 124 of the feed button 122 is.

In order to give a clear disclosure how the In and Out -14 is always in a horizontal plane.

feeding of the knife 68 is accomplished, the schematic illustration in Figure 10 shows that the distance A between the axis of shaft 44 and the center N of the sleeve 108 is equal to the distance B of the eccentricity between shafts 20 and 30. When the knob 116 is depressed by the operator, the projection 124 on feed button 122 will make contact with the sleeve 163 when the cutoff mechanism reaches its forwardmost position. Should the projection 124 engage the center or neutral point N of sleeve 103, no relative motion would take place between sleeve 163 and ti rcaded rod 160 during this contact at this point since the relative motion relative to the ground of the center of sleeve 103 is non-existent. However, at point R of sleeve 1% there is relative motion and at point F there is equal and opposite relative motion.

Thus, if the projection 124 of feed button 122 is so disposed as to contact either point R or F of the sleeve 108, such contact will effect a retraction or a feed out, respectively, of knife blade 68, since such contact on either point of said sleeve will cause a slight clock or counterclockwise turn of the same. Because of the dynamic nature of the contact between the projection 124 on feed button 122 and sleeve 108, it is best that one of the two elements be made of a resilient material. The threaded sleeve 1% shown in the accompanying drawings is made of hard rubber.

In order to keep the knife blade 68 sharp at all times, a conventional sharpener disc 130 and a conventional burring disc 132 is situated on either side of the mechanism in such a way as to permit said knife blade to make proper contact with each disc successively once per revolution.

The tapered or conical hub 60 (Fig. 3) which is keyed on shaft 44 and carries the knife supporting member 64 permits the latter and consequently the knife 68 to be adjusted relative to shaft 44. By loosening the nut 62 and rotating member 64, the starting and finishing point of the cigarette cutting operation may readily be set to be in correct timing.

Cutting of the cigarette rod takes place when the cutoff housing 36 is at its lowermost point and moves with the cigarette rod at the same velocity as said rod. At this time, the velocity of the ledger block is virtually the same:

as that of the knife so that there is no resultant interfer ence between the knife blade and the ledger block during the cutting operation. The cutting of the rod commences 30 degrees before the housing 36 has reached its bottom dead center position and is completed 30 degrees after passing bottom center position during which time the knife blade 65 passes through the ledger block slot 88. During the remainder of the cycle motions, the lateral velocity of the blade 68 does not have to correspond with that of the ledger block since there is no need for synchronism between these two elements at any other time except during the cutting operation.

One of the novel features of this cutoff is that the eccentricity of shafts 2t) and 30 is the same as the eccentricity of the eccentric bearing 52 in relation to shaft 44. In this way, with a proper phase relation between crank arm 2 carrying shaft 39 and the sliding block 54 and eccentric bearing 52 carrying shaft 44, it is possible to maintain the housing 36 in a horizontal plane at all times. Thus, while housing 36 is driven in a circular path, the axis of shaft The center of gravity of the knife supporting member 64, the eccentric bearing 52, and the housing 36, is located on the central line of shaft 30. For all positions of rotation, this center of gravity does not depart from this central line and therefore may be considered as a radial vector rotating about shaft 20. Froperly distributed weight or counterweights on cranks 24 and 32 will tend to balance out any unbalanced force in this construction. It is also necessary to balance all weights rotating about shaft 44.

Figures 5 and 6 refer to a variation on the previously when described cutoif. The main difference between these is that in this case an outboard ledger block 130 replaces the spring mounted ledger biock 82 shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4. This outboard ledger block is directly attached on to the rotating housing with no linkage involved in reciprocating same. The outboard ledger block 13% is provided with inserts 132 and 134, both of which have horizontal U-shaped slots 136 (Fig. 6). These inserts are secured to and carried by bracket 133 which is attached on to the top of the rotating housing 36. A clamping block 140, in conjunction with screws 142, is provided to hold the inserts 132 and 134 securely to bracket 138. There is a space 144 between ledgers 132 and 134 through which the knife passes when cutting cigarettes on the upstroke. The motion of the outboard ledger corresponds to that of the gear housing 36, namely, circular and always in a horizontal plane. In operation the outboard ledgers 132 and 134 cooperate with a pair of guide bars 146 and 148, the latter of which extends from a guide tube 150 while the former extends from a guide tube 152. Tube 150 is held by a bracket 154 and tube 152 is clamped to a bracket 156. Both brackets are secured to the stationary bearing bracket 26.

The cigarette rod R is always guided and supported by bars 146 and 148 which surround the lower half of the rod. During cutting operation the ledger block descends and the U-shaped inserts engage with the upper half of the traveling cigarette rod R. Sufiicient space between the ends of guide bars 146 and 148 is provided to permit lateral progress of the blade 68 when passing through the space 144 between the ledgers during cutting operation. During the time of cutting, the ledgers 132 and 134 encompassing and engaging with the upper half of the cigarette rod is moving at the same velocity as the cigarette rod, and at the same time, in conjunction with bars 146 and 148, form a firm support of said rod to assure a clean cut.

The full line disclosure of the ledger block 130 shown ill in Figures and 6 illustrate the same in its uppermost position, while the dotted lines show said ledger block in its lowermost position during the cutting operation. Since there is no relative lateral motion between the blade 68 and ledgers 132 and 134, no interference can result between them. In the case of conventional cylindrical ledger plates, it is necessary to provide a certain amount of clearance between the outside diameter of the cigarette rod and the diameter of the ledger guide hole. In the case of the outboard ledger I have disclosed, there is no need for clearance between the top of the guide channel of the ledgers because the ledgers clamp the cigarette rod while .moving with it and subsequently disengage themselves from the rod and therefore do not impede the progress of the rod on this return motion. The tubular sections 150 and 152 of the guide bars 148 and 146, respectively, therefore give better control over the cigarette rod during the cutting operation.

The difi'iculties of dynamically balancing the rotating parts of this mechanism are considerably simpler than with the conventional type ledger. This is due to the fact that the location of the mass of the outboard ledger 130 relative to axis of shaft 36) makes is possible to use more mass on the axis of the knife shaft 44 which is located below the axis of shaft 30. It is possible under these circumstances to use the existing Weight of functional components rather than add non-functional dead weight.

By bringing the shoulder 160 of guide tube 152 as close as possible to the front end of ledger insert 132 the cigarette has already entered into the tubular part of guide V 146 and is thereby restrained from being lifted vertically when the outboard ledger is on its way up from the cigarette rod. It will thus be evident that the outboard ledger just described is very reliable and accurate because there are no rotating joints or external guides needed in its operation. 7

Figures 7 to 9 illustrate a modification of the crank housing 36 and the associated knife supporting member 64 shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 used to carry the knife blade 68 through its necessary motions to cut the continuously moving cigarette rod C. In this modification of the invention 1 have employed a diiferent method and apparatus for guiding the housing and the ledger plates.

In this modified form of the invention two sets of springs are used to guide a housing 17! around the circular path while keeping it at all times horizontal. This is accomplished as follows: Springs 172 and 174, flexibly connect point 176 of rotating housing to point 178 of a bracket 180. Likewise, springs 182 and 184 connect point 186 to 188. By virtue of this connection itis possible for points 176 and 186 to be displaced vertically due to the flexing of the springs. However, the column rigidity of these springs is sufliciently great to avoid horizontal displacements of points 176 and 136 relative to bracket due to the action of forces encountered in operation.

Bracket 130 is carried by a similar doubling back spring system, i. e., springs 190 and 192 guide point 194 in a horizontal line relative to ground bracket 1%. The same is true in the case of springs 198 and 206. Ledger plates 202 and 204 are also attached to bracket 180 by means of supporting member 206. The stiffness of all the springs is' so chosen as to make their natural frequency equal the operating speed of the mechanism. The exciting force for both sets of springs is harmonic as each alternately is displaced by the sine or cosine components of the rotary exciting motion, i. e., points 176 and 180 oscillate with harmonic motion relative to bracket 180 while the latter oscillates with harmonic motion relative to the stationary bracket 196 which is secured to the frame 208 of the cigarette machine. Since the ledger plates 2tl2 and 2% are directly attached to bracket 180, they likewise oscillate along the straight line which is made coincident with the axis of the cigarette rod.

It is desirable to have points 176 and 186 as close as possible to being respectively directly above and below the center of axis of shaft 210 which is eccentrically secured to a crank head 212 of drive shaft 214. In this way the tortional forces generated about axis of shaft 210 when the mechanism is started up and its inertia has to be overcome, do notproduce any twisting effect in springs 172 and 182. The loss of flexibility between points 216 and 176 and between points 218 and 186, while at the same time minimizing the harmful effects of twisting action between these points, may be avoided by the use of heavier spring sections 220 and 222. A balance weight 224 attached to the rear of the rotating crank housing is employed for balancing the knife housing. The sharpening mechanism and knife feeding mechanism is the same in this case as previously described.

The mechanism shown in Figures 7 to 9 has the advantage that it is of simple design and therefore may be more economically manufactured and maintained and will have a long life.

All forms of the invention described herein are of a design which enables them to be readily incorporated into continuous rod type cigarette machines. If desired, reference may be made to U. S. Patent 2,357,860, granted to Uncas A. Whitaker on September 12, 1944, for one type of machine which which this invention may be used.

Figure 11 illustrates a variation of the crank type cutoff mechanism. The object of this variation, as was the object of previous variations, is to impart a motion to the knife so that it will move with the cigarette rod while at the same time passing through it and cutting it. At the same time, by the very nature of this variation it is possible to obtain a ledger drive without any additional components.

As in the case of previous disclosures, a gear housing 250 is driven by means of a shaft 252 through suitable flexible couplings which are eccentrically located with respect to shaft 254. By means of suitable right angle gearing, shaft 254 imparts rotary motion to shaft 256. Since shaft 254 is continuously rotating with respect to housing 250, it effects the continuous driving of shaft 256. To the latter is attached the knife blade 258 and therefore serves as driving means for the same.

The length of housing arm or stem 260 or the distance from the center of shaft 254 to knife 25?) is relatively large compared to the eccentricity between 254 and 252. The greater the ratio of these lengths, the less will be the angle of tilt of housing arm 26% as it is driven by the eccentric action of shaft 254. in the immediate vicinity of the knife 253 and mounted on the end of housing arm 260 is provided a lug 262 which carries the ledger plates 264. Likewise in this locality, a spring 2x56 attached to the furthermost point of the stem 2&0 serves to support and guide this part of the stem back and forth in linear path. Thus, at the front end of the stern where the knife 258 and the lodgers 264 are located, there is essentially a reciprocatory motion and also a rotary motion imparted to knife 258, whereas in previous cases the knife spindle axis 256 executed a completely circular path while remaining horizontal at all times.

In this case, the end of the shaft 256 adjacent the knife 258 reciprocates while the other end of said shaft in the vicinity of shaft 254 executes a rotary path. Since the squareness of the cut of the cigarette rod is affected by the slightly arced reciprocating end of knife shaft 256, a greater length of housing arm 26% and shaft 256 will tend to improve such cuts. For example, if the ratio of the housing arm length to the eccentric throw is made approximately 25 to 1, satisfactory cigarette cuts will be obtained.

Spring 2-66 serves to balance the knife 25S and lodgers 264- whereas the balanceweights 268 counterbalance the gear drive housing 25%. The Sharpeners previously described may be used in this variation. The knife feed or inching mechanism mentioned previously can be employed to feed the knife out. A primary objective of this modification is to provide a simple and highly economical mechanism. in this respect the ledgers do not need to be driven from a separate source, but are synchronized at all times by means of housing arm 260, thus eliminating the necessity for additional driving mechanism for said ledger plates.

While in previously described disclosures the hypoid gear drive provided notable mechanical advantages, in this case it is possible to use simple right angle light gears. Because of its increase in length, shaft 256 may be considerably deflected before experiencing any appreciable stress build up due to shock loads that would subject it to breakage. The over-all length of travel of the knife supporting point of shaft 256 is greatly reduced since it does not follow a circular path but merely reciprocates. Furthermore, the over-all amount of Wind resistance encountered by the knife which would ordinarily cause it to deflect is also reduced due to the shorter path of travel. Knife flutter caused by wind resistance is undesirable because it may hamper proper sharpening of said knife.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigarette making machine, a cutoff mechanism for severing a continuous cigarette rod into individual cigarette lengths, said cutofi mechanism comprising, a reciprocable cutoff housing, a shaft passing through said housing and having a knife mounted on one end thereof, an eccentric crank for moving the housing and the longitudinal axis of said shaft in a closed path of travel in a common plane, a second eccentric crank transversely mounted with respect to and driven from said first eccentric crank for maintaining said housing and shaft level at all times, and a drive receiving power from the movement of said housing by said first named crank to rotate said shaft about its longitudinal axis simultaneously with its movement in a closed circular path of travel.

2. A cutofi. mechanism for use with a continuous rod type cigarette making machine comprising, a housing, a

longitudinal shaft extending through said housing, a hypoid gear fixedly mounted on said shaft in said housing,

a cutoff knife mounted on one end of said shaft, a second shaft extending through said housing transversely to the first named shaft, a hypoid gear fixedly mounted on said second shaft for meshing with said first named hypoid gear, a crank connected to said second shaft for reciprocating said housing in a. circular path of travel, and a leveling structure connected to the other end of said first 51 named shaft for maintaining said first named shaft horizontal at all times.

3. A cutoff mechanism for use with a continuous rod type cigarette making machine comprising, a housing, a first shaft extending through opposite sides of said housing, a second shaft extending through opposite sides of said housing at an angle transverse to the first named shaft, gears interconnecting the first and second shafts, a crank for moving said housing and the longitudinal axis of said first shaft in a closed path of travel in a common plane, mechanism connected to the end of said first named shaft to maintain said shaft horizo .tal While being moved through a closed PJlil of travel, and a cutoff knife mounted on the opposite end of said first shaft for severing a cigarette rod. into indi'v'idual cigarette lengths.

4. A cutoff for a continuous rod type cigarette making machine comprising, a movable knife supporting cutoff housing, a. shaft passing through opposite sides of said cutofi housing, a crank connected to said shaft for moving said cutoff housing in a circular path of travel and simul- 40 taneously imparting rotary movement to said first named crank, a second shaft passing through opposite sides of said housing at an angle transverse to the first named shaft, gearing for driving said second shaft from said first named shaft, a sliding block having a rotary bearing ccccntrically connected to one end of said second shaft for maintaining said 3 left horizontal as said shaft supporting housing moves in a closed path of travel, a cutoff knife mounted on the opposite end of said second shaft, and connections for driving said crank in timed relation with the movement of the cigarette rod.

5. A cutoff mechanism for use with a continuous rod type cigarette making machine comprising, a shaft driven from the main drive of a cigarette machine in timed relation with the movement of a cigarette rod through the cigarette making machine, a housing, a crank driven from said shaft and having a crank arm extending therefrom, a shaft connected to the opposite end of said crank arm and extending through opposite sides of said housing, a hypoid gear fixedly mounted on said shaft, a second shaft passing through opposite sides of said housing in a direction transverse to the direction the first named shaft passing through said housing, a second hypoid gear meshing with said first named hypoid gear, means fixedly securing said second hypoid gear to said second named shaft, a cutoff knife mounted on one end of said second named shaft, and means coacting with said second named shaft for maintaining said second named shaft horizontal at all times while the housing in which said second named shaft is supported, is moved in a rotary path of travel.

6. A cutoff mechanism for use with a. continuous rod type cigarette making machine comprising, a shaft driven from the main drive of a cigarette machine in timed relation with the movement of a cigarette rod through the cigarette making machine, a housing, a crank driven from said I) shaft and having a crank arm extending therefrom, a second shaft connected to said crank arm and extending through opposite sides of said housing, a hypoid gear fixedly mounted on said second shaft, a third shaft passing through opposite sides of said housing in a direction transverse to the direction the second named shaft, a second hypoid gear mounted on said third shaft and meshing with said first namedhypoid gear, means fixedly securing said second hypoid gear to said third named shaft, a cutoff knife mounted on one end of said third named shaft, a movable block slidably mounted for movement in a horizontal plane, and a rotary bearing mounted in said slidable block, said block being eccentrically connected to and driven by the opposite end of said third named shaft.

7. A cutoff mechanism for a continuous rod type cigarette making machine comprising, a housing, a shaft passing through opposite sides of said housing, a crank arm connected to said shaft for moving said housing in a circular path of travel at a rate of speed timed with the movement of a cigarette rod through the cigarette making machine, a second shaft passing through opposite sides of said housing at an angle transverse to the first named shaft, a cutoff knife for severing said continuous moving cigarette rod at intermittent intervals connected to one end of said second shaft, means connected to the other end of said second shaft to maintain said second shaft horizontal at all times, and gearing secured to said shafts for rotating said second shaft from the movement of said crank arm.

8. A cutoff mechanism for a continuous rod type cigarette making machine comprising, a housing, a shaft extending from said housing, a cutoff knife mounted on one end of said shaft, a second shaft extending from said housing at an angle transverse to the first named shaft, a crank fixedly connected to said second shaft for moving said housing and the longitudinal axis of said first named shaft in a closed path in a common plane, gearing for driving said first named shaft from the second named shaft, and a crank connection mounted on the other end of and driven by said first shaft for maintaining said shaft horizontal at all times.

9. A knife feed for the cutoff of a cigarette making machine comprising, a knife holder, a slidable support for said holder, means for rotating said support to move said knife through a cigarette rod, a threaded rod secured to said holder and passing through the axis of rotation of said support, guide means supporting said rod for axial movement at an angle transverse to the axis of rotation of said holder, a threaded sleeve coacting with the threads of said rod for advancing or retracting said threaded rod to advance or retract said knife, means for maintaining said sleeve from substantial movement relative to said support, said sleeve having a portion thereof extending on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of said support and threaded rod, and means for touching said sleeve on either side of said axis of rotation while it rotates with said holder and shaft to advance or retract said knife blade while the cutoff of a cigarette making machine is in operation.

10. A knife feed for the cutoff mechanism used with a cigarette making machine comprising, a rotating shaft rotating around its longitudinal axis, a cutoff knife holder secured transversely to one end of said cutoff shaft, a threaded rod fixedly connected at one end to a knife blade, the axis of said threaded rod passing transversely across the axis of said rotating shaft, a threaded sleeve mounted on said threaded rod for advancing or retracting said knife with respect to said knife holder, sleeve guides for maintaining said sleeve from movement along it; the other side of the axis of rotation of said shaft, and means for advancing or retracting said knife by touching said sleeve on one side or the other side of the axis of rotation of said shaft.

ll. In a cigarette making machine, a cutoff mechanism comprising a housing, a shaft extending from said housing, a cutoff knife mounted on and extending transversely from the end of said shaft, a drive for rotating said shaft and knife, a housing support for moving said housing in a closed path of travel parallel to the cigarette rod to carry said knife into the path of the rod while at the same time traveling with the rod, a slideway, a rectangular block secured to said end of the shaft slidable in said slideway, and an eccentric connection between the shaft and said block having the same radius as said crank to maintain said shaft parallel to the rod while it is rotated by said shaft.

12. A cutoff mechanism for a cigarette making machine comprising, a housing, a shaft extending from said housing in a plane parallel to a cigarette rod, a sickle knife for severing individual cigarettes from the end of said rod, a drive imparting translatory movement to said shaft from the main drive of a cigarette making machine, gearing connections between said drive and said shaft to impart rotary movement to said shaft, a tapered hub formed on the end of said shaft, and means for fixedly and adjustably securing said knife to the tapered hub formed on the end of said shaft.

13. A cutoff mechanism for a cigarette making machine comprising, a housing, a shaft extending through said housing in a plane parallel to a cigarette rod,, a sickle knife for severing individual cigarettes from the end of said rod mounted on one end of said shaft, a drive imparting translatory movement to said shaft from the main drive of a cigarette making machine, gearing con nections between said drive and said shaft to impart rotary movement to said shaft, an eccentric connected to and driven by the other end of said shaft to maintain said shaft in a plane parallel to the cigarette rod, and a tapered connection between said eccentric and said shaft for adjustably and fixedly connecting said eccentric to said hub so as to align said shaft parallel to the cigarette rod.

14. In a cigarette making machine, a cutoff mechanism comprising, a housing, a shaft extending from said housmg, a cutoff knife mounted on and extending transversely from the end of said shaft, a drive for rotating said shaft and knife, a housing support for moving said housing in a closed path of travel in a common plane parallel to the cigarette rod to carry said knife into the path of the rod while at the same time traveling with the rod, said housing support having a single crank which supports and moves the housing and knife shaft in a closed path of travel, a second crank mounted transversely with respect to the first named crank for maintaining said knife shaft and housing parallel to the cigarette rod as they are moved in a closed path by said first named crank, and means driving said second named crank from said first named crank.

15. A ledger support for supporting a ledger for rectilinear movement in a common plane comprising, a pair of parallel springs having'one end of each of said springs connected to a stationary support, a second set of parallcl springs having one end of each set of said second the length of said cutofl? knife holder, said sleeve being v mounted on said rod at a point where a portion of the sleeve extends on one side of the axis of rotation of said shaft and another portion of said sleeve extends on set of parallel springs fixedly connected to said ledger, said second set of springs being arranged in a plane parallel to the first set of parallel springs; and means for interconnecting the opposite ends of said first set of springs with the opposite ends of said second set of springs to thereby support said ledger for movement in a predetermined rectilinear path while simultaneously counterbalancing movement of said ledger in one direction by a force urging movement in the opposite direction to an equal extent.

16. In a continuous rod type cigarette making machine, a dynamically balanced cutoff comprising, a housing, .a first shaft passing through said housing, a second shaft passing through said housing in a direction transverse to the first shaft, interconnecting gearing for driving said second shaft from said first named shaft, a knife mounted transversely on one end of said second shaft, a first crank connected to the other end of said second shaft for maintaining said second shaft parallel to the cigarette rod, a counterweight connected to said crank for dynamically balancing said knife about the axis of said second shaft; a second crank connected to said first shaft; counterbalancing elements for dynamically balancing said housing, second shaft, knife, and first crank ab ut the axis of said first shaft; a drive shaft for said second crank for moving said first shaft transversely to its axis in a circular path of travel, and counterbalancing elements connected to said second crank for counterbalancing all the weight supported by the first shaft about the axis of said drive shaft.

17. In a continuous rod type cigarette making machine having the features provided for in claim 5 including in addition a ledger, U-shaped in cross-section, fixedly mounted on said housing for supporting said cigarette rod each time said cutoff knife passes through the cigarette rod.

18. in a cigarette making machine having the features provided for in claim 5 and including in addition a ledger fixedly connected to said housing so as to travel in the same path of travel as the cutoff knife, said ledger extending from said housing a distance which will cause the ledger to move into gripping contact with a cigarette rod during a portion of the path of travel of said housing, said drive moving said knife through said cigarette rod when said ledger grips said rod.

19. in a cigarette making machine having the features provided for in claim 5, and including in addition a pair of parallel springs; a member interconnecting the free end of said springs to confine the springs to equal amounts of movement in the same direction, a pair of parallel springs connected at one end transversely to said springs, and means for connecting the other end of said transverse parallel springs to said housing to confine the movement of said shaft to a vertical plane.

20. in a cigarette making machine having the features provided for in claim 5 and including in addition a plur"' y of spaced pairs of parallel springs, fasteners for securing one end of each of said springs to a stationary support, a bar for each pair of springs mounted across the unsecured ends thereof, a spring extending downwardly from each of said oars, means for interconnecting a component of the housing support will the lower ends of said springs, and a device for reciprocating said component while supported by said springs in timed relationship with me movement of a cigarette rod through the cigarette making machine.

21. in a cigarette making machine having the features provided for in claim 5 and including in addition pairs of vertical parallel springs, a bar interconnecting the free ends of said parallel springs, a second pair of parallel springs connected transversely to the first pair of parallel springs, and means interconnecting the housing to the free ends of said second pair of parallel springs to thereby confine said cutoff mechanism to movement in a closed path in a predetermined plane.

22. in a cigarette making machine having the features provided for in claim 5 and including in addition an outboard ledger having a U-shaped slot formed on one side of said housing, and a transverse slot passing through the U-shaped slot to permit the passage of a knife therethrough, and means for moving said ledger in a closed path along a predetermined plane to move said ledger into holding position with a cigarette, each time said knife passes through the cigarette rod.

23. In a cigarette making machine having the features provided for in claim 5 and including in addition said shaft having the cutoff knife mounted on the end of said shaft at least 12 inches from said cutoff housing, and a spring connected to said second shaft at a position closely adjacent to the knife.

7 24. A cigarette .making machine having the features provided for in claim 5 and having in addition a spring supporting said shaft at a position closely adjacent to the point where said cutoff knife is mounted on said shaft, said housing being spaced from said shaft at a distance of more than twelve inches, a second shaft extending from said cutoff housing, and said first crank being fixedly connected to said second shaft for moving said cutoff himsing in a closed path of travel along a predetermined p ane.

25. A cigarette making machine having the features provided for in claim 5 and including in addition said housing support consisting of a pair of parallel springs having one end of each spring connected to a fixed support and the other end free, a second set of parallel springs each of which is arranged parallel to the first set of parallel springs and one end of said second set of springs being connected to the free end of the first set of parallel springs, a member interconnecting the free end of the second set of parallel springs, 21 third set of parallel springs transversely arranged with respect to the first and second sets of parallel springs and having one end fixedly connected to said member, a fourth set of parallel springs being arranged parallel to the third set of parallel springs and having one end of the fourth set of springs connected to the free end of the third set of springs and means for connecting the free end of said fourth set of parallel springs to the shaft support so as to dynamically balance said shaft support while confining said shaft support to translator-y movement in a closed path of travel.

26. A cigarette making machine having the features provided for in claim 5 and including in addition a pair of parallel springs having one end of each spring connected to a non-moving member, a second set of parallel springs connected at one end to the opposite ends of said first set of parallel springs and arranged parallel thereto, and means for connecting the reciprocating memher to the free end of said second set of parallel springs to confine said reciprocatory member to a straight line path of movement.

27. A cigarette making machine having the features provided for in claim 5 and including in addition a pair of parallel springs secured at one end to theframe of a cigarette making machine, a second set of parallel springs sesured to the free end of said first set of parallel springs, said second set of parallel springs being arranged in a common plane parallel with the first set of parallel springs to permit movement of the free end of said second set of parallel springs in a straight line, means interconnecting the free end of said second set of parallel springs, a third set of parallel springs connected to said member at one end and arranged to permit the free end of said third set of parallel springs to travel in a direction transverse to the first set of parallel springs, a fourth set of parallel springs connected at one end to the free end of said third set of parallel springs, and the free end of the fourth set being arranged to travel in a straight line transverse to the movement of said first named member, the housing support being connected to the free end of said fourth set of parallel springs to obtain a movement which is both dynamically balanced and confined to travel in a closed path.

28. A cigarette making machine having the features of claim 5 including in addition a spring supporting said shaft at a position closely adjacent to the point where said cutoff knife is mounted on said shaft and is arranged transversely to the end of said shaft, the length of said shaft between the point at which said spring is connected References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bagguley Apr. 10, 1900 Rosewarne Oct. 9, 1917 Koerner Jan. 18, 1927 Weingartner Feb. 1, 1927 Chandler Sept. 22, 1931 Ruau Mar. 15, 1932 

